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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-23-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:






Why Teaching+Learning Music Matters
Credit: LA Johnson and Alyson Hurt/NPR Q&A: Why Teaching Music Matters by Cory Turner, National Public Radio : NPR Ed : NPR http://n.pr/1tXEHPi Margaret Martin (right) poses with student Jose Correa during a Harmony Project open house at the Ramon C. Cortines School for Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles.  Esteban Rael/
1 by smf / 19min 


Editorial: DEASY, LAUSD BOARD MUST DECIDE IF THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER
LA Daily News Editorial | http://bit.ly/1mLplMR LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy on stage during his annual administrators' meeting at Hollywood High School in 2013. (Photo by Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer) 9/17/14, 5:04 PM PDT  ::  A year after John Deasy threatened to resign, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s superintendent and its board are back at a dangerous crossroads. Where
1 by smf / 7min hide  //  save
Bad guys in White Hats?: CHARTER SCHOOLS IN COURT IN OHIO
from Politico Morning Ed | http://politi.co/1B3VccL 23 Sept 2014  ::  WHEN PUBLIC FUNDS FUEL PRIVATE GAIN: The Ohio Supreme Court today will hear an intriguing case involving White Hat charter management, which operates 33 schools in three states. At issue: Whether the for-profit company owns the furniture, books, computers and other property it bought with public funds for use in its public
2 by smf / 39min 
Alex Caputo-Pearl: THE CENTRALITY OF ORGANIZING & CHALLENGING DEASY’S AUTOCRACY
Our strategy to autocracy: shared decision-making By Alex Caputo-Pearl; The Presidents’ Perspective from United Teacher /  United Teacher Los Angeles (UTLA) | http://bit.ly/1smsbu5 19 September 2014  ::  My wife comes home sometimes from her shifts as a labor-and-delivery nurse in downtown L.A. with stories of how our work lives intersect — former students of mine from Crenshaw High
1 by smf / 56min 

LAUSD TITLE 1 MONEY IN JEOPARDY OVER ENDURING MiSiS GLITCHES
Only 40% of students at one school have renewed meal applications, down from 76% last year by Vanessa Romo, LA School Report | http://bit.ly/1pbMqUp Posted on September 22, 2014 4:10 pm  ::  The deadline for LA Unified students’ receiving free and reduced priced lunch is (today, Tuesday Sept 23rd), leaving anyone who has not renewed an application facing an empty stomach come
2 by smf / 48min hide  //  save
AMID iPAD, ATTENDANCE SYSTEM CONTROVERSIES, SCHOOL BOARD TO WEIGH SUPERINTENDENT’S PERFORMANCE + smf’s 2¢
by Annie Gilbertson| 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/XVi159 Audio from this story  ::  3:31 Listen Nick Ut/AP 9-23-2014 07:31:18 AM  ::  After weathering a solid year of criticism for his controversial iPad program, taking a high-profile position in a case against teacher tenure and now dealing with the fallout of an irksome new attendance system, Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent
1 by smf / 1h 
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-22-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Student Put In Detention For Sharing School LunchBy Katherine Harwood KRCR News  (Chico/Redding) http://bit.ly/1v03rph video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player POSTED: 6:45 PM Sep 17 2014 UPDATED: 11:53 PM Sep 17 2014 WEAVERVILLE, Calif.   ::  An eighth grade student from Weaverville Elementary School got a detention slip for sharing hi
1 by mike simpson / 18h 


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9-23-14 Answer Sheet

Answer Sheet:







Colorado teacher: ‘I refuse to administer the PARCC’ Common Core test to my students
Peggy Robertson is an educator in Aurora, Colo., who has been a sharp critic of high-stakes standardized testing. Robertson, a teacher and literacy coach, has taught in elementary schools in Missouri, Kansas and Colorado, and spent several years training teacher leaders and administrators in educational theory and practice. She is a co-founder of United Opt […]
2 by Valerie Strauss / 11min 




9-22-14 Answer Sheet
Answer Sheet: Common Core calls for kids to read books that ‘frustrate’ them. Is that a good idea?This post is connected to two recent pieces I published about the Common Core State Standards. This post is a transcript of a debate on the Core that was recently held in New York; arguing for the Core were Carmel Martin and Mike Petrilli and arguing against were Carol Burris and Rick Hess. And this [
by mike simpson / 13min 
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Anna for Sacramento Kids | Anna Molander Sacramento School Board

Anna for Sacramento Kids | Anna Molander Sacramento School Board:



Anna for Sacramento Kids




We need to infuse our school district with a culture of optimism, where a commitment to excellence replaces divisive conflict and expedient solutions.
I am running for the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education because I see the need for change, and I am ready to work hard to make that change happen for Sacramento's kids. As the parent of a young daughter just entering school, I have the passion and commitment, and as a successful lawyer and grassroots organizer, I have the skills.
Please join me, and together we can make a difference for our children and our neighborhoods here in Sacramento.

GET INVOLVED IN ANNA’S CAMPAIGN

It's only when we, as individuals, get involved, that we can make a difference in our city and create the kind of neighborhoods that we all want to live in and raise our kids in. Our public schools are more than just places of learning; they're places of growing, and they define the character of our community.
Get involved in Anna's campaign for Sacramento School Board! 
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9-23-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District):


Study finds online literacy gap reflects family income
Study finds online literacy gap reflects family income A new study confirms conventional thinking, that an online literacy gap is emerging among students in America, with lower-income students lagging behind their more affluent peers in the ability to navigate the Internet and use it to enhance their studies. According to the New York Times, the study, led by Donald J. Leu at the University of Con
2 by Craig Clough / 41min hide  //  save
LA’s first ‘Summer of Learning’ touted as success
LA’s first ‘Summer of Learning’ touted as success With around 50,000 students participating, the first Los Angeles Summer of Learning is being hailed as a success by officials involved with the program. Modeled after a similar program launched last year in Chicago, Summer of Learning provided access for LA Unified students to 100 learning opportunities, online and in person, at LA parks, libraries
2 by Craig Clough / 2h 

LIVESTREAM of the Curriculum and Instruction meeting today
LIVESTREAM of the Curriculum and Instruction meeting today The LAUSD Curriculum and Instruction committee will meet today at 4:00 p.m. In addition to a variety of items on the agenda and in the supporting committee materials, an update on the MiSiS project will be presented. For the meeting agenda, click here. There are five supporting materials for the meeting: California Emerging Technology fund
2 3h 


Teachers union hiring 6 in ‘groundbreaking’ plan to organize
Teachers union hiring 6 in ‘groundbreaking’ plan to organize Alex Caputo-Pearl, President of UTLA During his first State of the Union speech at the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) leadership conference last week, President Alex Caputo-Pearl promised that the union was “gearing up for this fight” as he works to negotiate a new contract with LA Unified. Near the end of his remarks, as if to prove
2 by Craig Clough / 11min 



After early influx, lines dwindling at LA Unified’s immigrant center
After early influx, lines dwindling at LA Unified’s immigrant center LA Unified’s Immigrant Guidance Assessment & Placement Center saw long lines when it opened its doors in August, but concerns that the influx of students would be a problem for the district to handle appear unfounded. During its first month of operation following the summer recess, the center processed 360 children from Aug.
2 by Craig Clough / 1h 

Morning Read: Deasy faces board review as controversies abound
Morning Read: Deasy faces board review as controversies abound Amid controversies, school board to weigh superintendent’s performance After weathering a solid year of criticism for his controversial iPad program, taking a high-profile position in a case against teacher tenure and now dealing with the fallout of an irksome new attendance system, LAUSD superintendent John Deasy is about face the sch
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9-22-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Morning Read: Teacher dismissal bill may further muddy processMorning Read: Teacher dismissal bill may further muddy process Teacher dismissal bill may add complexity not simplify Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation in late June with the goal of expediting the process of dismissing teachers for egregious
1 by mike simpson / 21h 




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Stop the death march of climate change | Seattle Education

Stop the death march of climate change | Seattle Education:

Stop the death march of climate change

Pollution-in-China--Smoke-001
From the Climate Wire
Daniel Cusick, E&E reporter
The World Health Organization predicts that an additional 250,000 people will die annually between 2030 and 2050 from conditions caused or exacerbated by climate change, the Geneva-based agency reported yesterday in an update of climate mortality estimates.
But the causes of sickness and death will shift over that period as child deaths from malnutrition and diarrheal disease decline across much of the world, while mortality rises from things like mosquito-borne malaria, heat exposure and other conditions, especially in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
“Overall, climate change is projected to have substantial adverse impacts on future mortality, even considering only a subset of the expected health effects,” the agency said in its latest “Quantitative Risk Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change on Selected Causes of Death.” And those impacts are expected to be felt even “even under optimistic scenarios of future socioeconomic development.”
At the same time, the agency said, adverse health effects from climate change “will be distributed unequally within and between populations,” with wealthier countries and regions generally being better able to adapt to and mitigate against the harshest effects.
According to WHO, deaths from heat exposure will be especially pronounced over the coming decades, from 92,000 to as much as 250,000 deaths worldwide per year by midcentury, with the greatest rates of death occurring in the world’s poorest regions.
Wealthy nations not spared
But the developed world won’t be spared from the effects of rising temperatures, according to WHO.
“An increase in acute mortality associated with high temperatures has been observed in nearly all populations where it has been studied,” the authors state. And while human populations are largely adapted to local climates, researchers point to “an increase in Stop the death march of climate change | Seattle Education:
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9-23-14 Curmudgucation - Can We Be Less Nice, Please and Thank You?

CURMUDGUCATION:





Can We Be Less Nice, Please and Thank You?
I recently stumbled across a blog by mommy/teacher Katie Knight. It's an interesting read in that we appear to come from completely opposite ends of the bloggy spectrum. "Teacher to the Core" is awash in pink and is so precious that it nearly sent me into sugar shock, and Mrs. Knight is the sort of woman who has tiny dogs that she calls her children. Not saying that's a terrible thing, b
1 by Peter Greene / 15min 

9-22-14 Curmudgucation - CCSS: Set in Stone?
CURMUDGUCATION: CCSS: Set in Stone?One of the ongoing side arguments in the education debates is the question of just how set in concrete the Common Core standards are.The pro-Core talking point has become some variation of, "Pshaw! States can totally do as they wish. The Core are just like, you know, mild suggestions, and states can just rewrite them or modify them or whatever." This is
1 by mike simpson / 18h 




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PUBLIC EDUCATION NATION: The Movie

PUBLIC EDUCATION NATION on Vimeo:





PUBLIC EDUCATION NATION

from  PRO  NOT YET RATED


For years, reformers have talked down to students, parents and teachers. Now it's time for us talk back! Join Diane Ravitch, Anthony Cody and Leonie Haimson as they take on Common Core, charters and school closures, and other threats to public education, October 11, 2014, 12-5 PM (EST), for the first ever Public Education Nation webcast, on schoolhouselive.org. Featured panelists include some of the most innovative voices in public education: Carol Burris, Brian Jones Takeima Bunche-Smith, Rose River-McCutchen, Alan Aja, Xian Barrett, Hiram Rivera, Yohuru Williams, Jeff Bryant, Gary Rubinstein, Karran Harper Royal, Wendy Lecker, Robin Hiller, Phyllis Tashlik, Greg Anrig, and in conversation with Diane Ravitch, Jitu Brown.




RELATED COLLECTIONS

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    9-23-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

    Seattle Schools Community Forum:





    As if Seattle Schools Didn't Have Enough on the Plate...
    ...both mandated and non-mandated, along comes charter schools.Yes, some mysterious Board member (I'm taking bets but remember I will win) asked staff about the district becoming a charter authorizer.Now when some Board members ask staff for analysis, staff waffles, balks or just ignores their requests.  Or, Charles Wright, Deputy Superintendent, will call them out in public for making "too m
    5 by Melissa Westbrook / 2h 

    Mayoral Takeover of Seattle Schools
    Something in the water?  The start of Fall?  Who knows but there was Joel Connelly this morning in the PI with a column about Mayor Murray's budget:Murray is creating a cabinet-level Department of Education and Early Learning to work with “our diverse communities” and Seattle Public Schools to “close our city’s opportunity gap.” It will have the ability to go around the not-very-functional Seattle
    by Melissa Westbrook / 1h 

    Tuesday Open Thread
    Is there no end to the number of people in government who suddenly want to invest in early childhood programs?  It's almost as if they all got a memo.  Or something.The latest one is KC Executive Dow Constantine who plans to ask voters for a new levy for early childhood programs by next fall.  The Times reports that he calls it "Best Starts for Kids." In yet another curious item, the PI'
    by Melissa Westbrook / 21min 

    9-22-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
    Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This WeekI'm going to add in some events about public education as well this week.This week is, once again, Banned Books Week.  How many have you read?Tuesday, September 23rdMayor Murray will be releasing his budget for the our city.  It might be interesting to see how much money he is allocating for the new department of Early Learning and Educatio
    by mike simpson / 16min 

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    On the BUS: First-Hand Tales of Teaching, Speaking Out, and Consequences « WeActEd

    On the BUS: First-Hand Tales of Teaching, Speaking Out, and Consequences « WeActEd:

    On the BUS: First-Hand Tales of Teaching, Speaking Out, and Consequences

     What happens to teachers who speak out about problems they see in their work? Join the next Education Town Hall BUS as two educators tell first-hand stories and discuss the larger issues, including whistle-blowing, teachers unions, job protections, and the impact of school reform policies on teachers of color.Tune in at 11 a.m. Eastern, Thursday, September 25.

    Francesco Portelos, a New York City teacher had been praised by his principal and recommended for an administrative position, but then he complained of financial improprieties; it took two years of fighting before he was reinstated. More recently, The Holyoke (MA) Teachers Association filed a complaint alleging that firing of English teacher Gus Morales was in retaliation for criticizing educational reform. 
    BUS for movie
    The Education Town Hall BUS — Badass Teachers Association, United Opt Out, and Save Our Schools March — airs the fourth Thursday of each month.
    The Education Town Hall broadcasts weekly from Historic Anacostia in Washington, DC, Thursdays at 11 Eastern on We Act Radio. Listen live viaTuneIn. Shows are archived for convenient listening shortly after broadcast.
    Learn about our “National Launch Campaign” — new video, and more information — please check this out and share.
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    Cali Education Headlines 9-23-14

    Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team | CSIS – California School Information Services:



    Ellen Cochrane: Vote a Teacher on the School Board
    Why I’m Running for School Board | Ellen Cochrane




    Education Headlines

    • Bassett Superintendent walks away with lifetime benefits after less than a year

      Bassett Unified School District’s superintendent quietly retired at the end of August and walked away after less than a year of work with life-time health benefits for him and his wife, but now a family member has asked for a $240,000 buyout to go with that $450,000 deal.
       

    • EdSource: Report focuses attention on English learners

      As accountability for student progress in California becomes more local, a new report focuses on how school districts can better educate their English learners – calling on administrators to embrace biliteracy, provide a rigorous curriculum and train all teachers in how to support language development in core courses, not just English language development classes.
       

    • Amid iPad, attendance system controversies, school board to weigh superintendent’s performance

      After weathering a solid year of criticism for his controversial iPad program, taking a high-profile position in a case against teacher tenure and now dealing with the fallout of an irksome new attendance system, Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent John Deasy is about face the school board for his an annual review.
       

    • Sacramento taxpayer group tries new tactic on school bonds

      The Sacramento Taxpayers Association is changing its tactics when it comes to school bonds. Instead of simply opposing school bonds they don’t like, representatives from the organization have been meeting with Sacramento County school districts since early summer to collaborate on them.
       

    • Appeals court upholds Title IX ruling against Sweetwater

      The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a 2012 ruling that the Sweetwater Union High School District violated federal gender-equity laws by not providing female athletes with the same amenities as the boys.
       

    • RIVERSIDE: ‘Fault in Our Stars’ banned from district middle schools

      Riverside Unified School District’s book reconsideration committee voted Monday to ban the book “The Fault in Our Stars” from its middle schools after a Riverside parent challenged the teen love story as inappropriate for that age group.
       

    Note: FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.
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    The Whole Child Blog — Hope, Meaning, and Challenge: The Building Blocks of Motivation

    The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education:


    Whole Child Podcast


    Whole Child Podcast

    Hope, Meaning, and Challenge: The Building Blocks of Motivation

    September 10, 2014 by Whole Child Podcast
    Teachers know that engaging and inspiring students initially requires building positive relationships and creating relevant learning experiences. Yet other key actions also matter: setting realistic expectations, creating a needs-satisfying classroom, and teaching students to self-evaluate and self-moderate. Students who are motivated and see meaning in what they learn progress faster and to higher levels, even when they start with knowledge or skill gaps. In fact, focusing on motivation and meaning is a classroom strategy that is often underutilized.
    On this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, we take a look at how teachers can spark inner motivation in all students—from those who are disengaged from school to those who strive to succeed—and create meaningful connections that get students excited about learning.
    Listen to the episode below or download it here.
    Panelists
    How do you encourage effort and spark motivation for learning with your students?
    Baruti Kafele on Motivation: Linking Attitude to Achievement
    Teachers know that engaging and inspiring students initially requires building positive relationships and creating relevant learning experiences. Students who are motivated and see meaning in what they learn progress faster and at high levels, even when they start with knowledge or skill gaps. In fact, focusing on motivation and meaning can be an underutilized tool for the classroom. On the last e
    by Whole Child Podca... / 2min
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